WTF Japan?!?: Deadball (aka Battlefield Baseball II)

Holy crap- you're actually crazier than the last one.  It's a high bar, but they managed to do it.  Today's film is Deadball, the sort of Sequel to Battlefield Baseball.  To connect the two films is, well, tricky.  Basically, they're the same story, only told in much different ways.  Why?  I don't know.  It's just like all of the Godzilla Millenium Films that all acted like the last one (and any film made after the original Gojira) didn't count.  It's like how Children of the Damned just sort of said 'Well, what if it happened this way?'  It's weird- big surprise.  The story pretty much ignores Battlefield, but still tells the story of Jubeh forced to join a Baseball Team.  This time- he's sent undercover to stop a tyrant with ties to the Nazi Party.  Yeah, this film has Nazis instead of Zombies.  You win this one, Dead Snow (even if you still aren't German)!  On the plus side, the original Director and Tak Sakaguchi (who co-Directed Yakuza Weapon with him as well) are back.  To see just how crazy (even by Japanese standards) this can be, read on...

Tak kills his father as a teenager.  He gets sent to Juvenile Detention after killing 50 people in a week.

Japan has a weird legal system, huh?  They kill random teens for no reasons, but send mass murderers to get rehabilitated.  Sure.

Four-Eyes is back, only he's now played by a girl.  Neither me not my roommate were clear if this was the joke or just something they did.

He/she is also in the Detention Center for a crime I won't SPOIL and really wants to be free.  What could go wrong?

Jubeh doesn't get along well with his captors.  Considering that they literally feed them vomit (still better than Salo), I can't imagine why.  Oh and this is not fatal.

Jubeh and his fellow prisoners are forced to do battle with a deadly Baseball Team.  The whole 'reform' thing is not on the Menu today.

If you're wondering about that guy's eye, Jubeh did it.  He lives for a while though.

Their opponents are The St. Black Dahlia High School.  They're a bunch of ladies that like to kill you in violent, violent ways.

As I said while watching this, it is worth mentioning that the Black Dahlia was the *victim* and not the killer.  Considering what has happened so far- including deflecting a ball with projectile nose-bleeding-, it's not the weirdest thing here.

Oh and this happens.  I will give you NO context- not a lick.  Enjoy.

I'd say more about the Ending, but I don't want to SPOIL it.

Besides, it makes too little sense for me to possibly explain it properly.  It's...well, you can see for yourself.  No SPOILERS!  The End.

Holy crap- I can't even begin to do this thing justice.  Let it be said that there is *kind of* a plot here.  Jubeh is sent to find out what bad stuff the Superintendent is up to and stop it.  Beyond that, it's a bunch of weird and random bits.  You never really lose the focus, even if the story is usually not the main focus.  That make sense?  It's a more coherent story than Dynamite or Cromartie High School (previous Yamaguchi films).  The best and worst thing to say is that they are clearly trying to top themselves.  There's a lot more blood, gore and CG Effects than ever.  It's less logical than ever too, of course.  Bodies are sliced up, noses are cut off and projectile blood is spilled.  It's a lot more gross and crass than Baseball was.  Whether that's a good or bad thing is entirely up to you.  The movie is just plain weird and ridiculous.  If that appeals to you, then you're in for a treat.  If you're squeamish or super-serious, avoid Yamaguchi films entirely.  The guy made a film called Meatball Machine for crying out loud.  Oh and there's something on your face.

It's the end of the world as we know it and a bunch of Comedians are feeling fine.  The Anti-Christ is out of The Office and looking to score.  Stay tuned...